Apparatus for manufacture of basic alum



March 26, 1935. A. FLl-:lscl-IR APPARATUS FOR MANUF-ACTURE OF BASIC ALUM Fiied Jun'erso, v1932 Patented Mari 26, 1935 i. y,

UNITED STATES j 'oFFjics Arthur Fleischer, Hartford, Conn.;` assignor to Kalunite Company, Philadelphia,"la., a' coro poration of-Delaware i N i' Application Juneau', 1933, seriaino; 678,418 Y' l 5,01'aims. (01.'(23-260) i My invention relates to the manufacture of a pressure reducingreceptacle connected to the basic alum by the process in Whichanautoclave autoclavepr `autoolaves used in the described is charged with a solution of a normalvalum, which Vmethod of manufacturingobasic alum'so asto resolution is then raised to a reactive temperature ceive the contents thereof -after the completion Vat Whichbasio alum .(for exa'n1p1e, v roftlthefreaction,,saidrreceptacle being provided 5 Y. vvi h'means for maintaining thereina constant X2SO43A12O3'4S9319320- Y A steam pressure materially -less than that ofthe in Which X equals alkali metal, or ammo- `reaction productgleaving the autoclave, said re,- nium),'is precipitated from thesolution Aand eepiaelebeing alSQlDIIOVidedLvvith asteaznlconduit' a mother liquor formed which contains aq-large:y Connectable to points of use for 'steam andwih l0 percentage of the sulphurtrioxidecomponent of a Teglllfbie GillileieOrldilil'f .fOr the OuiOW of the the normal alum, alarge proportion of thej alkali liquid, arid Solid ,CODterIS 0f! the reeepilaee. BY and or ammonium sulphate constituent ofthe Drefereriee,A I eilSO COIiIleCt 'this rstreceptaele y normal alum and a percentage of imdecomposed With @Second receptacle, similarly equipped, in

l5 alum. For practical purposes, it is necessary-,to which ville SGeumprefssure is maintained at a 15 raise the contents ofthe autoclave to a tempera,- OWerfpOirl, lillerlfis the CaSe With the first reture in excess of 140, preferably tor200 C. and, Cepfefieee that 311 .the heeft Veille 0f the reaiiioil for obvious reasons, it is desirable to promptly Prodilet een De .'flllly availed 40f- The discharge discharge the autoclave on the practical comple- Outlet 0f: this SeeerilV receptacle. Would be C011- tion of the reaction v l A, y nected with any desired systemof thickeners and 20 The best method of carrying on theprocessinfillers .for ,theireCOVe'Y 0f Solid Particles 0f basi@ dicated aboveis, I believe, that disclosed` in the alum. from .the meiner Hillier, .Which mother United states application of, Gordon R. steuart,l 1liquor iS0f eourse, .i0 be further ireatedor utilized serial Number 606,785, ined Apri1 22, 1932, now foizihereeoverv of iis Values. 1

Patent No. 1,964,389, the 1eading features voi t Mv. ipveniionowiil .be besiundersiood aS de- 25 which are, in the first piace, the heating ofthe ,scribed in loiuieuiiori with the drawing which is contents of the autoclave tothe necessary'reac- 1e mere er lees diagrammatic elevation, partly in tive temperature by means of theyinjection into Seeiii011 0f 12he epperetlleembedying my invention. the autoclave of high pressure steamand, second, o Y 1u the. drawing, vA indicates` a Continuous dethe maintenance through the autoclave of a' conlVelY autoclave 0f the type desefibed end Claimed 30 stant flow of the alum solutionrand the residual inrthersteueft applicatie@ SerieflNU-mber 606,785 products of the process so thatthe autoclave is nowipa'ient NO- 1,964,389" B1 indicates ai feed deconstantly receiving normal alum solution -and ,Vice adapted tQdeiiVer e Continuous HOW Ofe 1101'- discharging the precipitate and mother liquorremel eflulrl SolilliiOIl 150 the ODO vthe alltOCiaVe. C

sulting from the reaction. i indicates a'deliverypipe connected to the bottom It will be obvious that Where the reaction prod- @fthe euloclel/e and vpreviied, eS ShOWrLWiih u ucts are discharged from theautoclave vapproXi- ,regulating-,Vahle l- ,D mdcates e, Steam menik mately at the pressure and .temperature ofthe fold Connected, With, a Source 0f Steem'llriier Dres-l reaction, that the reaction mixture has a heat Sure, nel? Shown, aeby a Pille D From the meni- 40 content of very considerable potential value; It fold lead DPCSnDZDZDz, Opening; es ShOWrl, into 40 is a1so true that itis desirable to eiieota oo n- -ihefoutside or the autoclaveand" each provided centration of the mother liquor which contains With 2 regulaiirlg'valveas iideetedet D3.' E iiiconsiderable values both in its sulphuric acid condiCeieS a SOUrCe Of ,eir'ullder Pressure CODIISCG.. tent and in its other components and, again, it kto the upper portion 0f the autoclave, which upper vi5 is important that steam should not be permitted Dertien., indicated f, et "A1, iS, during `the reaCiiiOIi 45 to evolve freely at atmospheric pressuresfrom carried on inlihe auiiOCluVei Chargedivvth air the reaction produced as, under such conditions, .under ilressure.` 'It Will be understood, of course, it would carry with it a-detrimental and unper- .that the autoclaveandother parts exposed to the missible fog of sulphuric acid. i charge in the autoclave, must be so constructed or The object of my invention is to provide for the made of such material as not to be reactive to 50 Y utilization of the heat values of the reaction prodthe sulphuric acid generated in the reaction. uct under conditions which Will bring about the Y F indicates a receptacle into which opens the concentration of the mother liquor and avoid the delivery pipe C of the autoclave and in which a production of a sulphuric acid fog andmy invensteam pressure of a determined amount is maintion consists, broadly speaking, in the provision of tained, as shown,`by means of 'a constant pres- 55 sure outlet valve, indicated at G and located, as shown, in an outlet pipe H, through which connection is made for the delivery of steam to any points of use or storage, as indicated by labels on the drawing. I indicates an outlet conduit for liquid and solid precipitate which is provided with a regulating valve, as indicated at J and, as shown, enters al second receptacle f in which steam pressure is'maintained by means of a constant pressure valve, indicated at y, located in an outlet conduit h, through which steam is conducted to any points of use, as indicated by labels.

The outlet for the liquid and solid contents of the receptacle is indicated at i and its regulating valve at y. This delivery pipe in ordinary construction will, as indicated by labels, carry the liquid and precipitate to thickeners andjlters for separating the precipitate from the mother liquor.'

As indicated on the drawing, the delivery pipe from the autoclave, C, may, with advantage, enter the receptacle in such a manner asto deliver the reaction product approximately tangentially 'so as to maintain the contents of the receptacle in an energetic circulation and, as indicated, a number of autoclaves may be'a'n'd in practice will be connected with the receptacle F as, for instance, at the points indicated at c, c. K and k indicate liquid level gauges for the 'receptacles F and fand a convenient level for the liquid in the receptacles is indicated at L and Z. Y Y

In operation the liquid contents of the autoclave is raised to reaction temperatures of fromY to 2009 C. and where high pressureV steam is used asa heating-medium, as indicatedin the drawing, the solution introduced into the autoclave is diluted. After the reaction is completed in the autoclave, which, when live steamis used as a heating medium, -willrequire but a short time, say ten minutes, the reaction products are discharged through the delivery pipe of the 'autoclave into the receptacle F and, as theV pressure 'in this receptacle is maintained at a considerably lower degree than that existing in the autoclave,

for example, at, say -forty pounds (40 lbs.) a large part of the water in the receptacle passes at once into steam and is delivered through the conduit H to any points of storage or use. The liquid contents of the receptacle F carrying the precipitate of basic alum in suspension now reduced to a temperature corresponding with forty pounds (40 lbs.) pressure, is drawn oi into the receptacle f in which a constant pressure of one to two pounds is maintained by the valve g. The low pressure steam is drawn oi through pipe h to points of use, as indicated, and the liquid contents of this receptacle may then be drawn oil? through its outlet conduit i and delivered to thickeners and filters for the separation of the precipitate from the mother liquor which, having-been considerably concentrated, owing to the steam generated from it, can then be handled or treated for the reclamation of its values.

While my apparatus preferablyV involves the use in combination 'with the receptacle Fand preferably with the receptacles Fand f, Yof autoclaves in which the alum solution is -heated by the injection of high pressure steam and preferably also of autoclaves constructed in such manf ner as to permit and require a continuous flow of solution through them, it will be understood that the advantages of my construction can be, to a greater or less extent, availed of with any construction and mode of operation of the autoclave element.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new land desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In apparatus for the manufacture of basic alum, comprising an autoclave adapted to cona valve controlled discharge passage leading from the receptaclefor drawing off the liquid and solid I contents thereof. A Y

2. In apparatus for the manufacture of basic alum, eomprisingan autoclave adapted to contain a solution of a normal alum under pressure, means for heating the contents of the autoclave to a reactive temperature and a discharge conduit for the liquid and solid content of the autoclave, the combination therewith of a receptacle connected with the discharge conduit of the autoclave, means operative to maintain an approxi- .maintain the pressure in saidsecond receptacle lat an approximately even point, a steam conduit connecting said second receptacle to points of use for steam drawn from the receptacle and a valve -controlled discharge passage leading from said second receptacle for drawing o the liquid and solid contents thereof.

` 3. Apparatus as called for in claim 1, in which the means for heating the contents of the autoclave toreactive temperatures consists of means for injecting high pressure steam into the vautoclave.

4. Apparatus as called in claim 1, in which the Aautoclave is provided with means for creating a constant flow of liquid under treatment into and Yout of the autoclave; f f

5. Apparatus as called forl in claim 1, in which the autoclave is provided with means for creating a constant ow of liquid under treatment into land out of the autoclave, in which the means for heating the contents of theV autoclave consists of means for injecting high pressure steam into the autoclave.

ARTHUR FLEISCHER.

Cil' 

